Northern House Wren

Troglodytes aedon

First photographed: May 27, 2026
First location: Colorado, United States
Conservation status: Not Evaluated

Northern house wren perched on a branch in a field in Fountain, Colorado.

An evolving study

Northern House Wren portfolio

This collection grows as I return to photograph new behavior, habitat, seasons, and stages of life.

Northern house wren perched on the top of desert foliage in Fountain, Colorado.

Natural history

Species at a glance

Troglodytes aedon

Overview

The Northern House Wren is a small, energetic cavity-nesting wren with a remarkably forceful, bubbling song. It searches dense vegetation and crevices for prey and readily uses nest boxes near homes.

Identification

Compact and warm brown with darker barring on the wings and tail, a thin slightly curved bill, and a tail often held upright. The face is relatively plain, lacking the bold eyebrow of several other wrens.

Range

Breeds across southern Canada and most of the United States and migrates to the southern United States and Mexico. The northern form is part of a broader House Wren complex extending through the Americas.

Habitat

Open woodland, shrub edges, riparian thickets, parks, gardens, farms, and residential areas with cavities and dense low cover.

Diet

Insects, spiders, snails, and other small invertebrates gleaned from foliage, bark, and crevices.

Photography by Brittany Templin

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